- Date
- September 9, 2016, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Emigrant Gap, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N909GBurkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160909017919A
- Case key
- 94016
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inappropriate decision to continue the flight into higher elevation under high-density altitude conditions, which degraded the glider's climb performance and resulted in impact with trees short of the intended runway.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of a powered glider reported that while en-route to his planned destination, he became concerned about the glider's capability, even with the engine operating, to clear rising terrain ahead. The pilot further reported that he was advised by air traffic control that the nearest airport was about 5 nautical miles (NM) ahead and along his route. The pilot decided to continue to this airport, even though lower terrain was available behind him. During the diversion into the higher elevation, the pilot reported that the glider was "low over the terrain" and he determined that he had to make an off-airport landing. Subsequently, the pilot landed the glider into trees about ½ NM from the diversion airport. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered glider that would have precluded normal operation. About the time of the accident, at the diversion airport, an automated weather observing system reported the wind at 240 degrees true at 7 knots, a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius), and a dew point of 43 degrees Fahrenheit (6 Celsius). The airport's elevation was 5,283 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and the density altitude was 7,563 feet above MSL. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Koch Chart, the powered glider would have experienced a 62% decrease to the normal rate of climb. The high density altitude likely contributed to the glider's inability to clear the trees en-route to the diversion airport.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a powered glider reported that while en-route to his planned destination, he became concerned about the glider's capability, even with the engine operating, to clear rising terrain ahead. The pilot further reported that he was advised by air traffic control that the nearest airport was about 5 nautical miles (NM) ahead and along his route. The pilot decided to continue to this airport, even though lower terrain was available behind him. During the diversion into the higher elevation, the pilot reported that the glider was "low over the terrain" and he determined that he had to make an off-airport landing. Subsequently, the pilot landed the glider into trees about ½ NM from the diversion airport. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the powered glider that would have precluded normal operation. About the time of the accident, at the diversion airport, an automated weather observing system reported the wind at 240 degrees true at 7 knots, a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius), and a dew point of 43 degrees Fahrenheit (6 Celsius). The airport's elevation was 5,283 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and the density altitude was 7,563 feet above MSL. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Koch Chart, the powered glider would have experienced a 62% decrease to the normal rate of climb. The high density altitude likely contributed to the glider's inability to clear the trees en-route to the diversion airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N909G
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 6134
- Built
- 1982
- Airframe hours
- 1,095
- Engine
- Limbach 2000, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 2016
- Departed
- LHM · Lincoln, CA
- Destination
- MEV · Minden, NV
- Airport
- BLU · Blue Canyon - Nyack
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Last flight review
- August 21, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,330 total · 796 in this make and model · 2,016 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KBLU, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.